Ghost Road Blues

The Pine Deep Trilogy, Book 1

By: Jonathan Maberry

Narrated by: Tom Weiner

Length: 14 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

Winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel

From a master of horror comes an apocalyptic showdown between the residents of a secluded, rural town and the deadly evil that confronts them wherever they turn.

Evil doesn’t die.

The cozy little town of Pine Deep buried the horrors of its past a long time ago. Thirty years have gone by since the darkness descended and the Black Harvest began, a time when a serial killer sheared a bloody swath through the quiet Pennsylvania village. The evil that once coursed through Pine Deep has been replaced by cheerful tourists getting ready to enjoy the country’s largest Halloween celebration in what is now called “The Spookiest Town in America.”

It just grows stronger.

But then—a month before Halloween—it begins. Unspeakably desecrated bodies. Inexplicable insanity. An ancient evil walks the streets, drawing in those who would fall to their own demons and seeking to shred the very soul of this rapidly fracturing community. Yes, the residents of Pine Deep have drawn together and faced a killer before. But this time, evil has many faces—and the lust and will to rule the earth. This struggle will be epic.

Keep chilled: listen to more in the Pine Deep trilogy.

©2006 Jonathan Maberry (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Maberry supplies plenty of chills, both earthbound and otherworldly, in this atmospheric horror novel…This is horror on a grand scale, reminiscent of Stephen King’s heftier works.” ( Publishers Weekly)

awesome book

this was a great book. I hope there is another to close up the loose ends. really great book, it grabs you from the very first page.

really, really intense!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this listen. the story unfolds and doesn't skip a beat, excitement all the way through. very well written and very well performed. I loved it!

Interesting

A slow but intriguing start. The story developed well and finished strong. Worth a try.

Overly long

interesting story, very bad writing. narrator too blusterous. too many subplots, and this is only the first book. even though I will never know what happened, not going to waste my money on the next book.

Don't listen in the Dark!

I'm still guessing and looking forward to the next book. The creep factor in this one is high!

slow start but got crazy in the middle

a little hard at beginning but then got real good. looking forward to start book 2

Second time around.

Love this trilogy. This was my first Jonathan Maberry book and it opened up a whole world of wonderful stories by the awesome author. When he puts pen to paper (so to speak) I swear I can sense it in my bones!

Surprised!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. The story is different and fresh. Not at all what I expected. A happy surprise.

What about Tom Weiner’s performance did you like?

Excellent. He does a great job of individualizing each character.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Held my interest from first word to last. Couldn't listen fast enough.

Any additional comments?

Have the entire trilogy now, listening to number 3.

small town mayhem

Truly scary horror tale of evil that won't go away. Evil that just won't die vs. a cast of well developed characters. Starting the second book right now.

Floundered potential, fantastic narrator.

The narrator is fantastic and was, in my opinion, the perfect fit for this story. The story had great potential but fell short. From the beginning there was a great sense of anticipation foreshadowing a big showdown or clash between good and evil.

However, more than halfway through the book, the sense of anticipation was starting to dwindle. Not for lack of atmosphere but for lack of sufficient events truly impacting the characters and plot. It’s mostly just scheming on the bad guys’ end. There were two major events (one at the beginning and the other near the end of the middle). And two minor events, that really have a significant impact on the plot. So while the atmosphere and sense of impending doom pervade the story, there is no payoff. No grand battle between good and evil like was hinted at throughout the entire 15 hours or so of the book. I sort of feel robbed of my time, but at least I can say I enjoyed Tom Weiner’s narration. Not a total loss. The most aggravating part was the epilogue that hinted at a part two. I won’t be tuning in to that. I am not gambling another 15 hours of my time for a sequel in the hopes that there is some real payoff to all the buildup and lack of impact I endured here.

Again, not a bad story. It had characters I was invested in, a good story line. It was just badly executed. The final third of the book needed a rewrite.